Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying
The drying of agricultural and marine products demands specific temperature conditions. Existing dryers are often limited to a single product type and have a limited temperature range. This research addresses this challenge by developing a hybrid dryer that efficiently uses solar energy and biomass...
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Results in Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025000556 |
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| author | C. Naveen Prabhu S. Dhanushkodi K. Sudhakar |
| author_facet | C. Naveen Prabhu S. Dhanushkodi K. Sudhakar |
| author_sort | C. Naveen Prabhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The drying of agricultural and marine products demands specific temperature conditions. Existing dryers are often limited to a single product type and have a limited temperature range. This research addresses this challenge by developing a hybrid dryer that efficiently uses solar energy and biomass heating to dry several products. This dryer consists of a dual-chamber solar flat plate collector (FPC). One steel chamber integrates a biomass heater and a polycarbonate chamber connected exclusively to the FPC. Marine items requiring higher temperatures ranging from 78 to 85 degrees Celsius are processed in a steel drying chamber with a 40 kg capacity. In contrast, the agricultural products requiring 50-65°C are dried in a polycarbonate drying chamber. Experimental tests involved drying 3 kg of anchovy fish in the steel chamber, 2 kilograms of Indian gooseberry, and 1 kg of Moringa oleifera leaves in the polycarbonate chamber. The drying chamber's moisture content, drying time, and efficiency are assessed and compared with traditional sun drying techniques. The hybrid drying mode achieved a target moisture content of 8% (w.b) within 9 hours with an average efficiency of 36%. In comparison, solar forced drying achieved the desired moisture content of 4% for Indian gooseberries in 6 hours and 5.2 % for drumstick leaves in 2 hours, with an average system efficiency of 25%. Notably, the hybrid forced mode proved twice as fast as open sun drying, presenting versatile drying solutions for small-scale farmers. Future improvements may include scaling up the design, integrating automation and monitoring systems to enhance usability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-59d3a5471a96486f92fcfd2d99c46885 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2590-1230 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Results in Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-59d3a5471a96486f92fcfd2d99c468852025-01-11T06:41:54ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-03-0125103967Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product dryingC. Naveen Prabhu0S. Dhanushkodi1K. Sudhakar2Energy Research Park, School of Engineering and Technology, PRIST Deemed to be University Thanjavur, 613403, IndiaEnergy Research Park, School of Engineering and Technology, PRIST Deemed to be University Thanjavur, 613403, India; Corresponding author at: Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Pahang, 26600, Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia.Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Pahang, 26600, Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia; Automotive Engineering Centre, University Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Pahang, 26600, Pekan,Pahang,Malaysia; Centre for Research in Advanced Fluid & Processes (Fluid Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Paya Besar, 26300, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.; Corresponding author.The drying of agricultural and marine products demands specific temperature conditions. Existing dryers are often limited to a single product type and have a limited temperature range. This research addresses this challenge by developing a hybrid dryer that efficiently uses solar energy and biomass heating to dry several products. This dryer consists of a dual-chamber solar flat plate collector (FPC). One steel chamber integrates a biomass heater and a polycarbonate chamber connected exclusively to the FPC. Marine items requiring higher temperatures ranging from 78 to 85 degrees Celsius are processed in a steel drying chamber with a 40 kg capacity. In contrast, the agricultural products requiring 50-65°C are dried in a polycarbonate drying chamber. Experimental tests involved drying 3 kg of anchovy fish in the steel chamber, 2 kilograms of Indian gooseberry, and 1 kg of Moringa oleifera leaves in the polycarbonate chamber. The drying chamber's moisture content, drying time, and efficiency are assessed and compared with traditional sun drying techniques. The hybrid drying mode achieved a target moisture content of 8% (w.b) within 9 hours with an average efficiency of 36%. In comparison, solar forced drying achieved the desired moisture content of 4% for Indian gooseberries in 6 hours and 5.2 % for drumstick leaves in 2 hours, with an average system efficiency of 25%. Notably, the hybrid forced mode proved twice as fast as open sun drying, presenting versatile drying solutions for small-scale farmers. Future improvements may include scaling up the design, integrating automation and monitoring systems to enhance usability.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025000556Hybrid solar - biomass dryer: Diverse product dryingDual drying chambersPost-harvest technologyMulti-temperature controlSustainable drying technology |
| spellingShingle | C. Naveen Prabhu S. Dhanushkodi K. Sudhakar Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying Results in Engineering Hybrid solar - biomass dryer: Diverse product drying Dual drying chambers Post-harvest technology Multi-temperature control Sustainable drying technology |
| title | Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying |
| title_full | Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying |
| title_fullStr | Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying |
| title_short | Dual chamber solar dryers: Maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying |
| title_sort | dual chamber solar dryers maximizing thermal performance for diverse product drying |
| topic | Hybrid solar - biomass dryer: Diverse product drying Dual drying chambers Post-harvest technology Multi-temperature control Sustainable drying technology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025000556 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cnaveenprabhu dualchambersolardryersmaximizingthermalperformancefordiverseproductdrying AT sdhanushkodi dualchambersolardryersmaximizingthermalperformancefordiverseproductdrying AT ksudhakar dualchambersolardryersmaximizingthermalperformancefordiverseproductdrying |